Separable fastener



y 9,. 1933. J. a. FREYSINGER 1,907,778

SEPARABLE FASTENER Filed Jan. 23,1952

39 E "T V gwomatoz John B. Fm ysinger Patented May 9, 1933 UNITD STATESPATENT OFFICE JOHN B. FREYSINGER, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORTO NORTH & JUDD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ACORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT SE-PARABLE FASTENER Application filed January22, 1932. Serial No. 588,153.

This invention relates to fastening devices of the type having twogeneral parts, one slidable relative to the other. As instances of usesto which fastening devices of the 5 present invention may be applied,reference may be had to belts, wearing apparel, baggage, such as briefbags, et cetera.

An aim of the invention is to provide a very simple and effectivefastening device,

10 the two parts of which may be very conveniently and readily assembledat any point within the range of adjustment and then relatively adjustedafter they have been assembled. The parts may also be very quickly andreadily separated or dis-assembled at any point within the range ofadjustment by merely disengaging suitable catches and lifting the slidemember from the track memher.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a compact, strong anddurable structure which may be manufactured at a rela tively low cost,which has a neat and pleas ing appearance, and which is practical andsatisfactory in operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a fastening deviceof this sort which may be locked so that it cannot be surreptitiouslyopened by unauthorized persons.

Other objects will be in part obvious, and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplifield in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing wherein is shown, for illustrative purposes,one embodiment which the present invention may take,

Fig. l is a front view of my improved fasr tening device;

Fig. 2 is a view looking towards the rear of the slide part, a portionof the attaching bracket or bridge being broken away;

3 is a perspective view of one of the catches;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view, the

same being taken substantially on line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken centrally through theassembly shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on line 66 of Fig. 2 and showing themanner in which the catches are cammed inwardly when the slide part ispushed laterally onto the track part.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A denotes generally the track orguide member which may be in the form of an elongated plate of sheetmetal, the same having its side edges bent forwardly and then inwardlytowards each other so as to provide side cheeks 10: and inturned flanges11, the latter being spaced above and substantially parallel to the baseor body'portion of the track. The track may be secured to an end X of astrap, for example. In the present instance, the track is shown asconnected to the strap end by rivets12. Obviously, the track may belongitudinally curved, if desired. The opposed edges .of the flanges 11(or, at least, one of them) are provided with opposed series of teeth 13each having a squared endor abutment and an inclined side edge.

The slide part of the fastener is designated generally by the letter B.It has a slide member 15 comprising a generally square or rectangularsheet metal plate provided with parallel side flanges 16 which arespaced apart soas to receive between them the track member; that is tosay, the flanges 16 slidably egage the outside surfaces of therespective cheeks 10, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4. Thus, excessivelateral play or side movement between the slide part and the track partis prevented. At the opposite ends of the slide member are backwardlyturned webs 17 which terminate in ears 18 projected through openings inthe attaching strip or bridge 19. The ears are turned over so as toclamp this strip to the slide member 15. The attaching strip hasterminal tongues 20 lying in the plane of the body portion of the slidemember 15 and adapted to be connected to the other element Y, as bymeans of rivets 21. The elements X and Y may be the op posite ends of abelt or strap; the tabs on a garment or the like; or they may berespectively the body portion of a brief bag and the strap on the flapof the brief bag; et cetera. On the outside of the element Y and securedin place by the rivets 21 is a face plate 22 which is preferably given apleasing design.

Within the casing formed by the slidemember 15 and the strip 19 are twocatches normally spring pressed apart and adapted to cooperate with therespective opposed series of teeth 13. These catches are of similarconstruction and one of them is most clearly shown in Fig. 3. Each catchis formed preferably from sheet metal by stamping out a blank of thedesired configuration and then bending the blank to the formillustrated. As here shown, each catch has a flat body portion 25adapted to lie flatwise against the rear face of the slide member 15.Each catch has at its free end a forwardly extendso as to 'perrnitthelip to take under or behind the flange 11, as shown most clearly in Fig.4. Extending ?from the outer edges of the body portions 25 are fingerpieces 30 which are accommodated by suitable slots in the side flanges16.

. The catches may be pivoted in any suitable manner but, to effectsimplicity in construction and economy in manufacture, the arrangementshown in the drawing is adopted. Struck from the slide member is a pairof symmetrically positioned ears or lugs 31, and the catches haveopenings 32 which receive these lugs. The lugs thus act as pivots forthe catches. The catches are urged apart by a suitable spring, which ishere shown as being formed from a single piece of spring wire bent backgenerally upon itself so as to provide a pair of divergent arms 33respectively engaging the catches. If desired,- the spring may be heldin place against lateral movement by providing it with a loop 34 at itsclosed end and positioning this loop over the pivot lugs 31. Theattaching strip 19 prevents the spring from becoming displaced from thelugs.

If desired, the device may "have suitable locking means for preventingany unauthorized person from surreptitiously or other- Wise disengagingthe two parts of the separable fastener. In the present instance, I haveshown this locking means as comprising a latch 35 rotatably mounted on apin or rivet 36 carried by the attaching strip 19.

This pin extends forwardly through the body portion of the slide 15. Thelatch is held against the inner face of the slide by a sp 37. The slidehas a semi-circular slot 38 struck about the center of the pin 36 andadapted to accommodate the lug 39 of a key 40. The face plate 22 has akey slot 41 for accommodating the key. The latch has two angularlyspaced abutments 42. and 43 against which the lug 39 of the key isadapted to engage. In order to hold the latch in locking position, thelatch may have a slight depression 44 which is adapted to receive astruck-in boss 45 on the slide member.

The operation of my improved fastener will be readily understood fromthe foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing. It will be understood that when it is desired to connect thetwo parts of the fastener together, the slide part is brought into theposition shown in Fig. 6 and then pushed rearwardly towards the guide ortrack member. When this is done, the catches, due to the engagement ofthe inclined lips 28;.against the opposed edges of the toothed flanges11, are cammed inwardly until the lips are behind the flanges and thenthe spring automatically urges the catches apart into the position shownin Fig. 4. In this latter position, the lips are behind the flanges sothat accidental separation of the slide part; from the track part isprevented. The tooth or lug 26 of each catch is engaged with a tooth 13of a respective series. Therefore, the parts are held against slidingmovementrelative to one another in one direction when the catches are inoperative position. The slide member, however, may he slid along thetrack member in the opposite direction, due to the fact that the tonguesor teeth 26 will ratchet over the teeth of the track member. Thus thestrap ends are normally held against being drawn apart but they may bereadily adjusted in ovcdapping relation by merely gripping the slidepart and moving it longitudinally in the proper direction relative tothe track member. It is apparent, of course, that the slide part may beadjusted in either direction longitudinally of the track and without(moving or lifting the slide part from the track by pushing in thefinger pieces far enough to disengage the lugs or teeth 26 from theteeth 13 and then slide the slide part in the desired direction. In thisoperation, it is not necessary to push the teeth all the way in but, onthe other hand, engagement of the lips 28 behind the flanges may bemaintained. When it is desired to remove the slide part from the track,the catches are pushed all the way in so that the lips will clear theflanges 11 and then the slide part may be lifted off. If it is desiredto lock the parts together, it is merely necessary to insert the key f0and turn it in a direction to engage its lug ag in the face or abutment42 thereby bringing the latch 35 to a position at right angles to thatshown in Fig. 2. To unlock the latch, the key is turned in the oppositedirection, thereby bringing its lug 39 into engagement with the abutment43 and moving the latch to the position shown in Fig. 2.

It is important to note that my improved latch may be assembled on thetrack at any point along the length of the latter by merely pushing theslide part at an angle onto the track, as previously described. Then theslide may be ratcheted along the track in order to tighten up the belt,strap, or other elements which carry the two parts of the fastener. Theslide may also, as previously described, be adjusted in either directionalong the track after it has been placed thereon. The slide part may bereadily separated from the track by merely pushing the finger piecestowards each other to the necessary extent and then lifting the slidemember away from the track member.

It will further be observed that my improved construction is a verysimple one in that it comprises a relatively few number of parts each ofwhich may be economically made, and these parts may be readilyassembled. It has been found that the fastener is very serviceable andpractical in operation.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and ;manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it i s intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the followingclaims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features ofthe invention herein described and all statements of the scope of theinvention which, as a matter of language, might be said to falltherebetween.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of trackways eachhaving a flange, one at least of said trackways being provided with aseries of abutments, a slide part having a slide member adapted to slidelongitudinally on the guide part, and spring pressed catches on theslide part and having portions formerd and positioned to engage behindsaid flanges to hold the parts together, one of said catches at leasthaving a tooth cooperating with said abutments which are so formed andpositioned as to prevent sliding movement of the slide part in onedirection but permitting of sliding movement in the opposite direction,said guide part and catches having cooperating retracting means soformed and positioned as to cause the catches to move from operativeposition to clear the flanges when the slide part is mounted on thetrack part at any point in the length of the latter by pushing the slidepart laterally towards and onto the guide part.

2. In a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of trackways eachhaving a flange, one at least of said trackways being provided with aseries of abutments, a slide part having a slide member adapted to slidelongitudinally on the guide part, spring pressed catches on the slidepart and having portions formed and positioned to engage behind saidflanges, one of said catches at least having a tooth adapted tocooperate with said abutments which are so formed and positioned as toprevent sliding movement of the slide part in one direction butpermitting of sliding movement in the opposite direction, said guidepart and catches having cooperating retracting means adapted to move thecatches to inoperative position when the slide part is pushed laterallytowards and onto the guide part whereby said slide part may be mountedon said track part at any point in the length of the latter, and fingerpieces on said catches, said catches being movable by said finger piecesto a partially open position where the tooth of said catch is disengagedfrom said abutments but portions of said catch still engage behind saidflanges, said catches being movable to full open position when it isdesired to lift the slide part from the track part.

3. In a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of flanges one atleast of which is provided with teeth, a slide part having a slidemember adapted to slide longitudi nally on the guide part, and springpressed catches on the slide part and formed and positioned to engagebehind the flanges, one of said catches at least having a portion formedand positioned to cooperate with the teeth on said flanges, said flangesand said catches having cooperating cammings means so formed andpositioned that, when the slide part is positioned on the guide part bypushing the slide part laterally towards and onto the guide part, thecatches are moved to inoperative position whereby the slide part may bemounted on the guide part at any point in the length of the latter.

4. In a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of flanges one atleast of which is provided with teeth, a slide part having a. slidemember adapted to slide longitudinally on the guide part, and springpressed catches on the slide part and formed and positioned to engagebehind the flanges, one of said catches at least having a portion formedand positioned to cooperate with the teeth on said flange, said flangesand catches having cooperating retracting means adapted to move thecatches to inoperative position when the slide part is pushed laterallytowards and onto the guide part whereby said slide part may be mountedon said guide part at any point in the length of the latter, said meansbeing adapted to permit the slide part to be separated from the guidepart at any point in the length of the latter when the catches are movedagainst the spring pres sure and the slide part then lifted.

5. In a separable fastener, a guide part having two series ofcomplementary ratchet teeth provided with squared ends and a slide parthaving spring pressed catches adapted to respectively cooperate withsaid series of teeth, said catches having portions formed and positionedto engage the squared ends of the teeth and also portions formed andpositioned to engage behind the teeth, said catches also havingcam'portions positioned to contact with the teeth when the slide part ispushed laterally towards and onto the guide part, whereby the catchesare cammed to a position in which they may engage the teeth.

6. In a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of trackways oneat least of which is provided with a series of teeth or abutments, and aslide part having a pair of catches formed and positioned torespectively cooperate with said trackways, one of said catches having atooth adapted to engage said abutments which are so formed andpositioned as to hold the slide part against sliding movement relativeto the guide part in one direction, the cooperating teeth of said guidepart and catch being so formed and positioned as to permit the teeth toratchet on one another when the slide part is moved in the otherdirection, each catch also having a portion formed and positioned toengage behind a respective trackway, said catches having cam surfacespositioned to respectively engage said trackways when the slide part ispushed laterally towards and onto the guide part whereby said catchesare (rammed to a position where the last mentioned portionsof'thecatches may engage behind the trackways.

7. In a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of flangesprovided with ratchet teeth having squared ends, and a slide part havinga pair of catches adapted to respectively cooperate wit said flanges,each catch having a portion formed and positioned to engage the squaredends of the teeth which are so formed and positioned as to hold theslide part against movement relative to the guide part in one direction,each catch also having a portion formed and p'isitioned to engage behinda respective flange, said catches having cam surfaces adapted torespectively engage said flanges when the guide part is pushed onto theslide part whereby said catches are cammed to a position where the lastmentioned portions of the catches may engage behind the flanges.

8. In a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of flanges one ofwhich has a series of ratchet teeth having squared ends, aslideparthaving spring pressed catches adapted to respectively cooperate withsaid flanges, one of said catches having a tooth adapted to engage thesquared ends of said teeth, each of said catches also having keeperportions formed and positioned to engage behind the respective flanges,cam portions on said catches and adapted to engage the edges of theflanges when the slide partis pushed laterally towards and onto theguide part whereby the catches are cammed to a position where the keeperportions may engage behind said flanges, and finger pieces on thecatches.

9. In a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of flangesprovided on their edges with ratchet teeth having squared ends, a slidepart adapted to slide on said guide part and having a slide member, apair of catches pivoted thereto and adapted to respectively cooperatewith the ratchet teeth on the flanges, a spring on said slide parturging said catches in opposite directions and towards the toothed edgesof the flanges, each of said catches having an abutment formed andpositioned to engage the squared ends of the teeth and each catch havinga keeper portion formed and positioned to engage behind the flanges, andfinger pieces carried by the catches and extending beyond the slidemember for moving the catches against the pressure of the spring.

10. In a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of flangesprovided on their opposed edges with ratchet teeth having squared ends,a slide part having a slide member adapted to slide on said guide part,a pair of catches pivoted to said slide member, and a spring on saidsiide part for normally urging said catches apart, said catches havingportions formed and positioned to engage the squared ends of the teeth,said squared ends of the teeth being so formed and positioned as to holdthe slide part against sliding movement on the guide part in onedirection, and said catches also having keeper portions formed andpositioned to engage behind said flanges.

11. In a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of flanges oneat least of which is provided with. a series of abutments, a slidemember straddling sa d guide part, a pair of catches on said slidemember and adapted to be inserted between said flanges, one of saidcatches having a tooth adapted to engage said abutments, each of saidcatches having portions formed and pos tioned to engage behind saidflanges, a spring on said slide member for urging the catches apart, andfinger pieces on the catches.

12. In a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of opposedflanges provided on their opposed edges with ratchet teeth havingsquared ends, a slide member straddling said guide part, a pair ofcatches pivoted to said slide member for swinging movement in a planeparallel to said flan es, said catches having portions formed anpositioned to engage the squared ends of the teeth and other portionsformed and positioned to engage behind said flanges, a spring on saidslide member for urging the catches apart, and finger pieces on thecatches.

13. In a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of opposedflanges one at least of which is provided with ratchet teeth on itsedge, a slide part having a slide member adapted to slide on said guidepart and a pair of sheet metal catches pivoted to said slide member;each of said catches having a body portion formed and positioned tooverlie said flanges, and a rolled keeper portion with a space betweenthe edge thereof and said body portion for accommodating said flanges;one of said catches having a lug for engaging said teeth, and fingerpieces on said catches.

14. In a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of opposedflanges provided on their opposed edges with ratchet teeth havingsquared ends, a slide part having a slide member adapted to slide onsaid guide part and a pair of sheet metal catches pivoted to said slidemember; each of said catches having a body portion formed and positionedto overlie said flanges, a lug portion formed and positioned to engagethe squared ends of the teeth, a rolled keeper portion with a spacebetween the edge thereof and said body portion for accommodating saidflanges, and finger pieces on said catches.

15. In a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of opposedflanges provided on their opposed edges with ratchet teeth havingsquared ends, a slide plate having a pair of side flanges straddlingsaid guide part, a pair of catches pivoted to said slide plate andhaving abutments adapted to engage the squared ends of the teeth, saidcatches having keeper portions formed and positioned to engage behindthe flanges, said keeper portions having inclined cam surfaces extendingforwardly and outwardly and positioned to engage the opposed edges ofthe flanges when the slide part is pushed laterally towards and onto theguide part, and a spring on said slide plate for urging said catchesapart.

16. In a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of opposedflanges provided on their opposed edges with ratchet teeth havingsquared ends, a slide plate having side flanges straddling said guidepart, an attach ing strip secured to and extending longitudinally ofsaid slide plates, and a. pair of catches pivoted between the slideplate and said attaching strip and adapted to respectively cooperatewith said flanges, said catches having portions formed and positioned toengage the squared ends of the teeth, and keeper portions formed andpositioned to engage bebind the teeth, said keeper portions having camsurfaces on opposite sides of said attaching strip and positioned toengage the opposed edges of the flanges when the slide part is pushedlaterally towards and onto the guide part.

17. In a separable fastener, a guide part comprising a strip of metalhaving up-turned side Webs and inwardly turned flanges, the opposededges of said flanges having complementary series of ratchet teeth withsquared ends, a slide plate having side flanges formed and position tostraddle said webs, an attaching strip extending longitudinally of andsecured to the rear side of said plate; a pair of catches each having abody portion, 9. lug at one end of the body portion formed andpositioned to engage the squared ends of the teeth, and a rolled overkeeper portion the edge of which is spaced from the body portion;rearwardly extending lugs on the plate portion, said body portions ofthe catches having openings receiving said lugs, a spring between saidcatches and held in place by said attaching strip, and finger pieces onsaid catches and located externally of said webs.

18. in a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of flanges oneat least of which is provided with a series of teeth, a slide parthaving a slide member adapted to slide longitudinally on the guide part,spring pressed catches on the slide part and formed and positioned toembrace the flanges, one of said catches having a tooth cooperating withsaid teeth, said catches being so formed and positioned that said slidepart may be mounted on the guide part at any point in the length of thelatter by merely pushing the slide part laterally towards and onto theguide part, and means for locking said catches against disengagementfrom said flanges.

19. In a separable fastener, a guide part having a pair of flangesprovided on their edges with ratchet teeth having squared ends, a slidepart adapted to slide on said guide part and having a slide member, apair of catches pivoted thereto and adapted to respectively cooperatewith the ratchet teeth on the flanges, a spring on said slide plateurging said catches in opposite directions and towards the toothed edgesof the flanges, each of said catches having an abutment adapted toengage the squared ends of the teeth and each catch having a keeperportion formed and positioned to engage behind the flanges, fingerpieces carried by the catches and extending beyond the slide member formoving the catches against the pressure of the spring, and a keyactuated latch between said catches for locking the same againstactuation.

JOHN B. FREYSINGER.

